Wedge mounted machine element

ABSTRACT

A wedge-shaped sleeve is inserted between the inner race of a bearing and a shaft to clamp the bearing to the shaft. The sleeve, which is resilient with a longitudinal slit, has a rib thereon to engage a groove in the bearing race to hold the sleeve and bearing in assembled relation when the sleeve is relaxed. An alternative sleeve, which is split to constitute two separate halves, is disclosed. There is also shown a bearing mounted in a bore in which the tapered sleeve is received between the bore and the outer race of the bearing.

United States Patent [191 Price et al. v

[ WEDGE MOUNTED MACHINE ELEMENT [75] Inventors: Connor E. Price; WilliamJ. Derner,

both of Indianapolis, Ind.

[73] Assignee: FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif.

[22] Filed: June 21, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 265,010

[52] US. Cl. 308/236, 287/5209 [5 1] Int. Cl. Fl6c 33/30 [58] Field ofSearch 308/236; 287/114, 52.09

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,709,575 l/l973 Howe3.8/236 2,792,264 5/1957- House 308/236 3,079,186 2/1963 Williams287/114 2,118,891 5/1938 Marino 287/5209 803,460 10/1905 Anderson...287/5209 2,228,282 1/1941 Miller 308/236 [111 3,806,215 [451 Apr. 23,1974 3,129,038 4/1964 Benson 308/236 Primary Examiner-Charles J. MyhreAssistant Examiner-11. H. Lazarus Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John F.Verhoeven; C. E. Tripp [5 7] ABSTRACT A wedge-shaped sleeve is insertedbetween the inner race of a bearing and a shaft to clamp the bearing tothe shaft. The sleeve, which is resilient with a longitudinal slit, hasa rib thereon to engage a groove in the bearing race to hold the sleeveand bearing in assembled relation when the sleeve is relaxed. Analternative sleeve, which is split to constitute two separate halves, isdisclosed. There is also shown a bearing mounted in a bore in which thetapered sleeve is received between the bore and the outer race of thebearing.

14 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures tar-'1" 3e 2e 2a to SHEET 2 OF 2 T'II3 EiMTFMEU 23 1974 1 WEDGE MOUNTED MACHINE ELEMENT BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to the clamping of machineelements, such as bearings, sleeves, sprockets, gears, or the like, to amounting surface.

Many bearings used in light or medium duty applications areconventionally fitted loose to a shaft and held at one end of anextended inner ring by a collar and setscrew. Such mounting of thebearing, which provides only limited points of contact, often results inexcessive fretting and/or inner ring breakage.

It is known to use, in the mounting of anti-friction bearings on ashaft, a wedge-shaped sleeve as shown, for example, in US. Pat. Nos.1,116,845, 1,957,062, 2,045,896, 2,052,108, 2,098,709, 2,118,891,

2,213,400, 2,228,282, 2,230,912, 2,714,538 and 2,970,018. One problemwith the use of a mounting sleeve is that it not only adds parts to theassembly, but increases the time and difficulty of mounting the bearing.Frequently, additional parts, such as collars, lock- SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION In the present invention a simple, effective mounting of amachine element, such as a bearing, on av shaft or in a bore, by meansof a wedge sleeve, is effected without the complexity usually associatedwith wedge sleeve element mountings.

In brief, the wedge mounting sleeve, which is resilient, is normallyloosely engaged with the machine element by means of complementarysurface conformations on the respective members. The sleeve is resilientand, in the relaxed condition, will remain engaged with the machineelement. Thus, a machine element, such as a bearing, and the appropriatesleeve therefor, can be shipped, stored, and transported to the assemblyarea for use, as'a single unit. Although the bearing and wedge sleeveare held in assembled relation even after assembly on the shaft or inthe bore, the wedge sleeve can move axially with respect to the bearingfor wedging actionby virtue of the loose connection therebe tween. Whenthe resilient sleeve and bearing are removed from the shaft or bore, theresilient sleeve can be momentarily deformed for assembly with, ordisassembly from, the bearing.

In the preferred form of the invention, the wedge sleeve has alongitudinal slit which permits the sleeve to expand or contract. Thesleeve also has a rib which is adapted for receipt in a wide groove inthe bearing. If we assume that the bearing is to be mounted on a shaft,a portion of the inner surface of the inner race of the bearing and theouter surface of the sleeve member will be oppositely tapered to definecomplementary wedge surfaces for a wedging action therebetween.

At some time prior to mounting on a shaft, the sleeve member is manuallycompressed so that the sleeve, which has the coupling rib on the outersurface, can be inserted into the inner race of the bearing where thecoupling rib is received in the groove which is in the internal surfaceof the inner race member of the bearing. As thus assembled, the twoparts can be shipped and stored together to eliminate the possibility ofmismating the parts as the bearing is assembled on the shaft. The wedgesleeve and bearing are mounted on the shaft as a unit and the wedgesleeve is pushed into the inner race of the bearing (which is possibleby virtue of the loose fit of the collar in the groove) to compress thesleeve into tight gripping relationship with the shaft and to wedge theinner race of the bearing tightly onto the wedge sleeve.

If the bearing is to be mounted into a bore, the wedge sleeve is forcedbetween a wedge surface on the outer race of the bearing and the bore.

In mounting the bearing either on a shaft or in a bore, a divided wedgesleeve can be used and, instead of a rib, projections can be provided onthe wedge sleeve for mating engagement with a groove or holes in thebearing.

Thus, the bearing mounting construction of the present inventioncomprises a bearing and wedge sleeve which can be shipped and stored asa unit without danger of disassembly, and can be tightly clamped on ashaft (or, in a modified form, in a bore) without the need of auxiliaryparts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of asleeve and bearing constructed in accordance with the present inventionin disassembled relationship. v v

FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section of the sleeve and bearing of FIG. 1when assembled and mounted on a shaft.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged, fragmentary views taken as the view-of FIG.3 showing the sleeve in a nonclamping position and in a clampingposition, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a modified form of thesleeve and bearing.

FIG. 6 is a view in cross-section of the sleeve and bearing of FIG. 5when assembled and mounted on a shaft.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of yet another modified form of thesleeve and bearing.

FIG. 8 is aview in cross-section of a bearing mounted on a shaft withtwo sleeves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED.

EMBODIMENTS There is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a bearing mountingconstruction 10 adapted for receipt on a mounting surface 11 which isthe outer cylindrical surface of shaft 12, having a central axis A. Thebearing mounting construction 10 consists of a bearing 14, and awedgeshaped sleeve member 16. The sleeve member 16 is wedged between theshaft and the bearing to clamp the bearing tightly on the shaft eventhough the bearingis significantly larger than the shaft. It will beunderstood that, in the usual installation, the bearing 14 will supportanother member such as a hub, or will be received in another member suchas a housing. For purposes of this disclosure, a member 18 is shown indashed lines with the understanding that there is relative rotationbetween the member 18 and the shaft 12, regardless of the function ofthe member 18. Although the bearing 14 shown for illustrative purposesis a ball bearing, it should be noted that the mounting construction ofthe present invention is as suitable for other machine elements,including a roller bearing or a sleeve bearing, as for the ball bearingshown.

The bearing 14 has an inner race member 20, an outer race member 22, andan intermediate circle of balls 24 which are held in a retainer ring 26.The inner race of the bearing has an inner tapered surface 28 and aninternal circular groove 30 extending completely around the race.

Regardless of the type of bearing, it sometimes happens that the annularinner race of the bearing has a slightly larger diameter than the shafton which it is to be mounted or in the case of an outer race, a slightlysmaller diameter than the housing bore diameter. This is more often truewith bearings designed to carry light to medium loads. Frequently, withthis class of bearing, the inner race is extended axially to receive aset screw or screws therein by which the inner race, and thus thebearing, is secured to the shaft. Sometimes, a clamping collar isutilized to hold the inner race of the bearing on the shaft. Neither theset screw nor the clamp collar is effective to hold the bearing on theshaft as tightly as is required for many applications.

The wedge-shaped sleeve 16, which is normally made of formed or turnedsteel, has a longitudinal slit 32 extending the entire length of thesleeve. The sleeve is resilient and can be, by virtue of the slit,expanded or contracted. The sleeve has integral therewith two ribs 34,36 extending outwardly. One rib 34 is at one end of the sleeve and theother rib 36 is spaced inwardly therefrom. The outer surface of aportion of the sleeve (that portion most remote from end rib 34) istapered to define a tapered skirt portion 38.

With reference to FIG. 1, it should be noted that the sleeve 16 can becompressed (manually or with a levered tool) so that the sleeve can beinserted into the inner race of the bearing 14. When the sleeve, whichis resilient, is released to return to its relaxed condition, the innerrib 36 will be confined loosely in the groove 30 in the inner racemember. Since the groove 30 is considerably wider than the rib 36, therib can be shifted axially with respect to the bearing but will notbecome disengaged therefrom as long as the sleeve member is in itsrelaxed condition. It is only by again compressing the sleeve todisengage the rib from the groove that the sleeve and bearing can beseparated. Thus, the rib, or projection, 36 and the groove, or cavity,30 define surface conformations normally holding the sleeve and bearingin assembled relationship as long as the sleeve is relaxed. The merit inthis construction is that the bearing, with the appropriate sleeve, canbe shipped and stored as a unit, to considerably reduce the handling ofthe parts, to minimize the storage facilities required, and to eliminatethe possibility of mismatching the bearing and sleeve at assembly.

To install the bearing assembly, or bearing mounting construction, onthe shaft, the bearing and sleeve, preassembled into a unit, are slidover the shaft. The sleeve,'in its relaxed state (as it is when the rib36 is engaged loosely in groove 30) fits loosely on the shaft 12 and canbe shifted easily to any position thereon. At this time, the sleeve willbe positioned relative to the inner bearing race as shown in FIG. 3.

To tighten the sleeve on the shaft and clamp the bearing in position onthe shaft, the sleeve member is driven to the right, as by theapplication of force, to the position in the race shown in FIG. 4. Asthe sleeve member moves to the right relative to the race, it iscontracted (by virtue of the wedging action between the tapered surfaceson the sleeve and the inner race member) and tightens on the shaft. Atthe same time, the bearing is tightened with respect to the shaftbecause the wedge-shaped sleeve member is being driven into a gap Gbetween the inner race member and the shaft which narrows toward theright (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4) because of the taper portion on theinner surface 28 of the inner race member. It should be noted that inthe tightened position of the bearing illustrated in FIG. 4, the end rib34 is spaced slightly from the radial end face of the inner race 20 ofthe bearing. Thus, a tapered tool, such as a screwdriver, or a specialtool, can be inserted into the gap between the rib and the radial facefor loosening of the wedge 16 (to the position shown in FIG. 3) andremoval of the bearing.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In thisembodiment the bearing assembly 50, which is to be clamped to themounting surface 51 on shaft 52, also consists of a bearing member 54and a sleeve member 56. The bearing member 54 has an outer race 58, aninner race 60, and intermediate anti-friction members which can be ballsor rollers, but which are illustrated as balls 62. A retainer 64 holdsthe circle of balls in proper position in the bearing. In thisembodiment, the inner race member has no circular groove. Instead, twocavities, or openings 66, 68, 180 apart, extend through or partlythrough the inner race member. The sleeve member 56 is made up of twoseparable halves 70, 72 each having an outer half rib 74, 76 and eachhaving a pair of projections 78 thereon spaced from the rib. Eachprojection is at the side margin of the half sleeve, so the projectionson each halfsleeve are almost 180 apart.

The inner surface of the inner race member 60 has a tapered skirtportion 80 (which may or may not be for full length) as the inner racemember of FIGS. 1 to 4, and the' outer surface of the sleeve member istapered as the sleeve member 16. The sleeve member 56 can be compressed(by pressing at the junction of the two halves) for insertion into thebearing and, when the pressure on the sleeve member is relaxed, theprojections 78 will be loosely confined by the openings 66, 68 in theinner race member. As can be seen in FIG. 5, one projection on eachsleeve half will be received in opening 66 and one projection on eachsleeve half will be received in opening 68. Thus each opening willreceive two sleeve member projections. It should be noted that a splitsleeve with projections, constructed as the sleeve 56, could, ifdesired, be used in conjunction with a bearing having an inner raceconstructed with a groove as the race 20 of FIG. 1.

As in the first embodiment described, the sleeve member 56 can beshipped and stored in engagement with the bearing 54, and the two sleevehalves will remain engaged with the bearing in their relaxed condition.As in the first embodiment, the two sleeve halves can be secured betweenthe inner race member and the shaft, to tightly hold the bearing to theshaft. Also, the bearing can be removed from the shaft in a mannersimilar to the manner in which bearing 10 is removed from the shaft,although it might be necessary to wedge each half of the sleeve loose.

Both the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, and the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and6, relate to bearing assemblies in which the bearing is secured tightlyto a shaft extending into the inner race of the bearing. Ininstallations like those illustrated,a member, such as a hub or housing,is usually received on the outer race member, and the hub or housing canbe tightly secured to the outer race member in the same manner as theinner race member is secured to the shaft. Alternatively, the outer racemember only can be clamped to a clamping surface of the hub or bore asshown in FIG. 7.

A bearing 100 is received on shaft 101. The bearing has an inner racemember 102 received on the shaft, an outer racemember 103, and a circleof balls 104 therebetween held in retainer or cage 105. The bearing andshaft are received in a bore 106 of a housing 107. The bearing 100 istightly secured in the bore by means of a sleeve member 108. The sleevemember 108 has a tapered inner surface portion 109 and the outer racemember 103 has an outer surface portion 110 tapered in a complementaryfashion. The sleeve member has an end rib 111 and a locking rib 112spaced therefrom. Both ribs extend inwardly from the inner surface ofthe sleeve member, and the locking rib is received loosely in a groove113 on the outer surface of the outer race member. The sleeve member hasa slit (not shown) which extends the entire length of the sleeve member(as the slit 32 of sleeve member 16).

The sleeve member can be expanded, by applying pressure at two points(90 clockwise and 90 counterclockwise from the slit). The expandedsleeve member can fit over the outer race member unil the locking rib112 is in registration with the groove 113, at which time pressure-isremoved from the sleeve member to permit it to return to the relaxedcondition. In the relaxed condition, the rib 1.12 is held in the groove113. When the sleeve member 108 is forced in between the bores 106 andthe outer race 1030f the bearing, the bearing will be tightly secured inthe bore.

It should be noted that the bearing 100 and sleeve member 108 can beshipped and stored in assembled relation, and the two members will beheld together as long as the sleeve member is in the relaxed condition.

rib can engage a groove in the outer surface of theouter race member ofthe same bearing. This preassembled unit of a bearing and two sleevemembers will fit loosely in a bore and will receive a shaft loosely inthe inner bearing race. When the inner sleeve member is driven in, theinner race of the bearing will be tightly clamped on the shaft. Whentheouter sleeve member is driven in, the outer race of the bearing will betightly clamped in the bore.

In some instances, as when greater loads are involved, it may be desiredto secure a bearing on a shaft by means of two opposite wedge sleeves,as shown in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, a roller bearing 118 having aninner race 120, outer race 122a, 122b, and two rows of rollers 124a,124b, is mounted on a shaft 126. The bearing 118 is secured in housing127 by nut 127a. Two wedge sleeves 128a, 128b, both similar to the wedgesleeve 16 shown in FIG. 1, extend in from opposite directions betweenthe tapered surfaces 129a, 12% of the inner race 120, and the shaft 126.Both sleeves 128a, 128b have inboard and outboard ribs, 130 and 132respectively, the inboard ribs defining locking ribs received in thegrooves 134, 136 of the inner race. The two wedge sleeves are joined tothe bearing 118 in the same manner as the sleeve 16 to bearing 10, sothat the three parts can be shipped and stored as a unit.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the presentinvention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent thatmodification and variation may be made without departing from what isregarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing construction including a bearing member having alongitudinal axis and having a tapered surface, a sleeve member having alongitudinal axis and havinga tapered surface for wedging engagementwith the tapered surface on said bearing member, a surface projection onone of said members and a surface cavity on the other of said membersnormally to hold said members loosely in assembled relationship whensaid sleeve member is relaxed, said cavity extending axially a greaterdistance than said projection to permit relative linear axial movementbetween said members.

2. A bearing construction including a bearing member having alongitudinal axis and having a tapered wedge surface, a resilient sleevemember having a longitudinal axis and having a tapered wedge surface incomplementary relationship to the bearing member wedge surface, asurface projection on one of said members,a surface cavity on the otherof said members to confine said projection loosely and hold said membersin assembled relationship when the resilient sleeve member is relaxed,said cavity extending axially a substantially greater distance than saidprojection to permit relative linear axial movement between saidmembers, said sleeve member deformable to disengage said projection fromsaid cavity to release said race member and said sleeve member fromassembled relationship.

3. A bearing construction including a bearing member surrounding acentral bearing axis and having at least one axially extending taperedsurface and having radially extending surfaces, an axially extendingsleeve member having a central axis essentially coincident with thebearing axis when the sleeve and the bearing member are in assembledrelationship, said sleeve member having an axially extending taperedwedge surface in complementary relationship with the axially extendingbearing member tapered surface for wedging action therewith, said sleevemember having a longitudinal slit therethrough to render the sleevemember deformable to change the diameter thereof, a projection on one ofsaid members, a cavity on the other of said members of greater axialspan than said projection to confine said projection with linear axiallost motion therebetween when the sleeve member is relaxed to hold thesleeve member and the bearing member in assembled relationship, saidmembers disengageable on deformation of the sleeve member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said sleeve member has a radiallyextending rib at one end.

5. A bearing construction to be clamped on a longitudinally extendingshaft comprising a bearing inner race member having an inner wedgesurface, a resilient sleeve member receivable between the inner racemember and a shaft, said sleeve member having an outer wedge surface todefine a wedge with the inner wedge surface of the inner race member,one of said members having a projection thereon, and the other of saidmembers having a cavity therein of greater axial span than saidprojection to confine said projection with lost motion to permitrelative linear longitudinal wedging motion therebetween, saidprojection and cavity holding said members in assembled relationshipwhen the sleeve member is relaxed.

6. A bearing construction for mounting on a shaft, a bearing inner racemember having a longitudinal axis and having an inner tapered surface, aresilient sleeve member receivable on a shaft, said sleeve member havinga longitudinal axis and having an outer tapered surface, said sleeveouter surface tapered in complementary relationship to said bearinginner race member inner surface taper to form a wedge, said sleevehaving a slit therein for contraction of the diameter thereof from thediameter of the sleeve when relaxed, one of said members having aprojection thereon, the other of said members having a cavity therein ofgreater axial span than said projection to confine said projectionloosely in the cavity to permit axial linear motion of the projection inthe cavity, said projection and cavity holding the members in assembledrelationship when the sleeve member is relaxed.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said cavity and said projectionhave edges perpendicular to said axes.

8. A bearing construction for mounting on a shaft comprising a bearinghaving an inner race and an outer race, the inner race having an innerwedge surface and having a circumferential groove, a resilient sleevefor receipt on a shaft and within said inner race, said sleeve having anouter wedge surface for wedging action with said inner race surface,said sleeve having a circumferential rib narrower than the groove forreceipt in said groove to hold the bearing and the sleeve together whenthe sleeve is relaxed, the relative span of said rib and groovepermitting linear wedgeing motion between the sleeve and said innerrace.

9. A bearing construction for mounting on a shaft comprising a bearinghaving an inner race and an outer race, the inner race having alongitudinal axis and having an inner wedge surface, said inner racehaving a circumferential groove on the inner surface thereof, aresilient sleeve for receipt within said inner race, said sleeve havingan outer wedge surface tapering inwardly toward one end for wedgingaction with said inner race surface, said sleeve having a longitudinalaxis and having a circumferential rib on the outer surface thereofnarrower than the groove for receipt of the rib in said groove, saidsleeve and said groove having edges perpendicular to said axes to holdthe bearing and the sleeve together in a positive manner when the sleeveis relaxed, said sleeve slidable relative to the bearing as the ribmoves linearly from one side of the groove to the other, said sleevehaving a longitudinal slit therein for contraction by wedging actionbetween said wedge surfaces to clamp tightly on a shaft, said sleevecompressible when the bearing and sleeve assembly are off the shaft torelease the rib on the sleeve from the groove in the inner race of thebearing, and a radially extending rib on said other end of said sleeve.

10. A bearing construction comprising an inner race member having alongitudinal axis and having an inclined inner wedge surface, said innerrace member having a pair of opposed cavities therein, a split sleevehaving a longitudinal axis and having an inclined outer wedge surfacefor wedging engagement with said race member wedge surface, each half ofsaid split sleeve having projections of lesser axial extent than saidcavities for extension loosely into said cavities to hold said sleeveand inner race member in assembled relationship, said split sleeveresilient for disengaging said sleeve projections from said race membercavities.

11. A bearing mounting construction comprising an outer race memberhaving an outer tapered wedge surface, said wedge surface having acircumferentially extending groove therein, a sleeve member having atapered inner wedge surface for wedging engagement with said outer racewedge surface, said sleeve having a circumferentially extending ribthereon narrower than said groove for loose engagement in said groove tohold the members together, said sleeve having an elongated slit thereinfor deformation of the sleeve to disengage said members.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which one said sleeve member has aradially extending rib at one end.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said groove and rib havingupstanding edges to define a position lock between said sleeve andbearing when the sleeve is not deformed.

14. A bearing construction including a bearing member having a pair ofopposing tapered surfaces, a pair of opposing sleeve members havinglongitudinal axes and having tapered surfaces for wedging engagementwith the tapered surfaces on said bearing member, surface projections onsaid sleeve members and surface cavities on said bearing to hold saidmembers loosely in assembled relationship when said sleeve members arerelaxed, said surface projections of lesser axial extent than saidsurface cavities to permit relative linear axial movement between saidmembers.

UNXTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO.

3,806,215 DATED April 23, 1974 mvemoms) c. E. PRICE et al It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent arid thatsaid Letters Patent I are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 8, linei'i38, change "position" to --positive-;

3 line 39, after "sleeve" (first occurrence) insert member;

' line 39, delete "bearing" and insert therefor outerrace nember-; line39, after "sleeve" (second occurrence) insert --member.

Signed and Scaled this ninth Day of December 1975 [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Cummissiuner vfPatenlsand Trademarks

1. A bearing construction including a bearing member having alongitudinal axis and having a tapered surface, a sleeve member having alongitudinal axis and having a tapered surface for wedging engagementwith the tapered surface on said bearing member, a surface projection onone of said members and a surface cavity on the other of said membersnormally to hold said members loosely in assembled relationship whensaid sleeve member is relaxed, said cavity extending axially a greaterdistance than said projection to permit relative linear axial movementbetween said members.
 2. A bearing construction including a bearingmember having a longitudinal axis and having a tapered wedge surface, aresilient sleeve member having a longitudinal axis and having a taperedwedge surface in complementary relationship to the bearing member wedgesurface, a surface projection on one of said members, a surface cavityon the other of said members to confine said projection loosely and holdsaid members in assembled relAtionship when the resilient sleeve memberis relaxed, said cavity extending axially a substantially greaterdistance than said projection to permit relative linear axial movementbetween said members, said sleeve member deformable to disengage saidprojection from said cavity to release said race member and said sleevemember from assembled relationship.
 3. A bearing construction includinga bearing member surrounding a central bearing axis and having at leastone axially extending tapered surface and having radially extendingsurfaces, an axially extending sleeve member having a central axisessentially coincident with the bearing axis when the sleeve and thebearing member are in assembled relationship, said sleeve member havingan axially extending tapered wedge surface in complementary relationshipwith the axially extending bearing member tapered surface for wedgingaction therewith, said sleeve member having a longitudinal slittherethrough to render the sleeve member deformable to change thediameter thereof, a projection on one of said members, a cavity on theother of said members of greater axial span than said projection toconfine said projection with linear axial lost motion therebetween whenthe sleeve member is relaxed to hold the sleeve member and the bearingmember in assembled relationship, said members disengageable ondeformation of the sleeve member.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in whichsaid sleeve member has a radially extending rib at one end.
 5. A bearingconstruction to be clamped on a longitudinally extending shaftcomprising a bearing inner race member having an inner wedge surface, aresilient sleeve member receivable between the inner race member and ashaft, said sleeve member having an outer wedge surface to define awedge with the inner wedge surface of the inner race member, one of saidmembers having a projection thereon, and the other of said membershaving a cavity therein of greater axial span than said projection toconfine said projection with lost motion to permit relative linearlongitudinal wedging motion therebetween, said projection and cavityholding said members in assembled relationship when the sleeve member isrelaxed.
 6. A bearing construction for mounting on a shaft, a bearinginner race member having a longitudinal axis and having an inner taperedsurface, a resilient sleeve member receivable on a shaft, said sleevemember having a longitudinal axis and having an outer tapered surface,said sleeve outer surface tapered in complementary relationship to saidbearing inner race member inner surface taper to form a wedge, saidsleeve having a slit therein for contraction of the diameter thereoffrom the diameter of the sleeve when relaxed, one of said members havinga projection thereon, the other of said members having a cavity thereinof greater axial span than said projection to confine said projectionloosely in the cavity to permit axial linear motion of the projection inthe cavity, said projection and cavity holding the members in assembledrelationship when the sleeve member is relaxed.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 6 in which said cavity and said projection have edgesperpendicular to said axes.
 8. A bearing construction for mounting on ashaft comprising a bearing having an inner race and an outer race, theinner race having an inner wedge surface and having a circumferentialgroove, a resilient sleeve for receipt on a shaft and within said innerrace, said sleeve having an outer wedge surface for wedging action withsaid inner race surface, said sleeve having a circumferential ribnarrower than the groove for receipt in said groove to hold the bearingand the sleeve together when the sleeve is relaxed, the relative span ofsaid rib and groove permitting linear wedgeing motion between the sleeveand said inner race.
 9. A bearing construction for mounting on a shaftcomprising a bearing having an inner race and an outer race, the innerrace having a longitudinal axis and having an inner wedge surface, saidiNner race having a circumferential groove on the inner surface thereof,a resilient sleeve for receipt within said inner race, said sleevehaving an outer wedge surface tapering inwardly toward one end forwedging action with said inner race surface, said sleeve having alongitudinal axis and having a circumferential rib on the outer surfacethereof narrower than the groove for receipt of the rib in said groove,said sleeve and said groove having edges perpendicular to said axes tohold the bearing and the sleeve together in a positive manner when thesleeve is relaxed, said sleeve slidable relative to the bearing as therib moves linearly from one side of the groove to the other, said sleevehaving a longitudinal slit therein for contraction by wedging actionbetween said wedge surfaces to clamp tightly on a shaft, said sleevecompressible when the bearing and sleeve assembly are off the shaft torelease the rib on the sleeve from the groove in the inner race of thebearing, and a radially extending rib on said other end of said sleeve.10. A bearing construction comprising an inner race member having alongitudinal axis and having an inclined inner wedge surface, said innerrace member having a pair of opposed cavities therein, a split sleevehaving a longitudinal axis and having an inclined outer wedge surfacefor wedging engagement with said race member wedge surface, each half ofsaid split sleeve having projections of lesser axial extent than saidcavities for extension loosely into said cavities to hold said sleeveand inner race member in assembled relationship, said split sleeveresilient for disengaging said sleeve projections from said race membercavities.
 11. A bearing mounting construction comprising an outer racemember having an outer tapered wedge surface, said wedge surface havinga circumferentially extending groove therein, a sleeve member having atapered inner wedge surface for wedging engagement with said outer racewedge surface, said sleeve having a circumferentially extending ribthereon narrower than said groove for loose engagement in said groove tohold the members together, said sleeve having an elongated slit thereinfor deformation of the sleeve to disengage said members.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11 in which one said sleeve member has a radiallyextending rib at one end.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein saidgroove and rib having upstanding edges to define a position lock betweensaid sleeve and bearing when the sleeve is not deformed.
 14. A bearingconstruction including a bearing member having a pair of opposingtapered surfaces, a pair of opposing sleeve members having longitudinalaxes and having tapered surfaces for wedging engagement with the taperedsurfaces on said bearing member, surface projections on said sleevemembers and surface cavities on said bearing to hold said membersloosely in assembled relationship when said sleeve members are relaxed,said surface projections of lesser axial extent than said surfacecavities to permit relative linear axial movement between said members.